Raipur (22 March 16/Press Statement): The Chhattisgarh PUCL expresses its deep grief at the killing of a 55 year old woman Muchaki Hidme, resident of Village Gorkha, due to an IED blast on 18th March 2016. The incident took place on a ‘kuchha’ track, which is often used by the security forces during their patrolling in the region, near Kottacheru village under Bhejji police station limits, as Sukma Superintendent of Police D Shrawan informed the PTI. A day earlier an 8 year old girl child Muchaki Anita, resident of Kanhaiguda village under Bhejji police station, also lost her life to an IED blast. Similarly two labourers were killed on 6th March at around 9:30 am at Amdai Ghati (valley) under Chhote Dongar police station limits. Superintendent of Police Narayanpur Abhishek Meena had told PTI that Maoists detonated a powerful IED when a joint team of district police and the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) was escorting a group of labourers through the valley and this was followed by a gun-battle, lasting for about two hours, after which the Maoists fled.

The Chhattisgarh PUCL condemns land mining by the Maoists which causes extreme hazard to life and limb of non-combatant tribal villagers carrying out their normal life activities in the region. It reiterates its demand that in order to protect non-combatant civilians in this war zone, the Government of India should declare a state of internal armed conflict and allow strict independent monitoring under the Geneva Protocol of human rights violations by both parties to the conflict. Even earlier on 26th November 2013, the Chhattisgarh PUCL had written to the NHRC for directions to restrain the practice of using civilians for demining operations or as “police sahyogi” in land mined areas when one villager had been killed and two others grievously injured.

The Chhattisgarh PUCL also expresses its concern that an outspoken journalist Shri Prabhat Singh, who was reporting for the Patrika as well as ETV, was suddenly picked up from his shop at 6 pm on 21st March 2016. He has informed a friend on 22nd March that he was taken to Parpa Police station in Jagdalpur, beaten up all night and was not even given food. He also expressed apprehension that since the Baarsoor Police Inspector and an Additional SP are present in Parapa police station and old records are being checked, that he is likely to be implicated in some old cases.

Chhattisgarh PUCL demands that Shri Prabhat Singh be immediately produced before the concerned Magistrate, be medically examined and be provided a legal representative as per the provisions of law. Since this incident comes on the heels of the harassment of journalists Alok Putul, Malini Subramaniam and the arrests of Santosh Yadav and Samaru Nag, the Chhattisgarh PUCL expresses serious apprehension that the police and district administration are trying to silence all journalists who are attempting to give any other version of events in Bastar other than the police version. The demands of journalists of the area have still not been properly addressed.

Finally Chhattisgarh PUCL expresses shock at the insensitive behavior of the police in arresting an extremely well respected citizen and doctor committed to treating workers and peasants of Chhattisgarh for the past three decades – Dr Saibal Jana, Chief Medical Officer of the Shaheed Hospital , Dalli Rajhara – in a 24 year old case connected with the Rail Roko Satyagraha of Bhilai workers on 1st July 1992. Dr Jana and his ambulance and staff of the Shaheed Hospital had been on the dharna site to treat ailing workers and their families in the preceding 35 days, and he has been falsely implicated in a criminal case. Chhattisgarh PUCL demands that he be granted unconditional interim bail on personal bond and the false case against him be quashed.

“My contract at IIT BHU, Varanasi as a visiting faculty has prematurely ended after teaching there for 2.5 years due to a decision of Board of Governors. In a recent Board meeting the Vice Chancellor of BHU, who was made the Chairman of IIT BoG by Minister of HRD, GoI, bypassing the panel of five names recommended by a resolution of BoG, Prof. G.C. Tripathi, and Dean of Faculty Affairs, IIT, BHU, Prof. Dhananjay Pandey, both gentlemen associated with RSS, primarily forced the decision. The charges against me are that I’m a naxalite, showed a banned documentary on Nirbhaya case and am involved in anti-national activities.

I wish to clarify that I’m not a naxalite. The ideology that I would consider myself closest to is Gandhian. But I do identify with the causes taken up by naxalites even though I may not agree with their methods. I also think that it requires a lot of courage and sacrifice to be a naxalite and I certainly don’t have that kind of resolve.

The banned documentary on Nirbhaya made by BBC was to be screened in my Development Studies class during the even semester of academic year 2014-15 but the decision was withdrawn after intervention of Chief Proctor of BHU and S.O. of Lanka Police Station just before the class. However, a discussion on the issue of violence against women in our society was conducted after screening a different documentary.

I don’t believe in the idea of a nation or national boundaries, which I think are responsible for artificial divisions among human beings similar to ones on the basis of caste or religion. Hence I cannot be anti or pro-nation. I am pro-people. I’m not a nationalist but is a Universalist.

I’ve no regrets as the decision to terminate my contract has not been taken based on my academic performance but it is because of my political views and activities. I’ve enjoyed my stay at IIT, BHU and wish the Institute and the University well.”

Subject:Request to withdraw invitation sent to Mr. Narendra Modi to address annual convocation

Dear Sir,

We, the ex-students of Jamia Millia Islamia, are writing to you to express our deep anguish and grief on your invitation to Mr. Narendra Modi to be the chief guest at annual convocation. We are anguished and shocked because, he is along with his party members, have been constantly involved in spreading rumors and hatred about Jamia Miliilia Islamia.

Let us share with you a video of September 2008 (it can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKrvvcr8fss) of Mr. Modi, in which he can be clearly seen misleading people during an election rally in Gujarat. We say, “rumors and hatred” because, his implied claim that, by providing legal aid to its students accused of being terrorists, Jamia is protecting terrorists, is nothing but a bunch of lies and totally based on the intention to target a particular community ​(do we need to name it?) and defame Jamia.

The simple fact is that, public or Jamia money, as claimed by Mr. Modi and his party members, was never used for providing legal aid to the students, who are yet to be proved guilty of anything, forget about the charge of terrorism. Jamia records will tell you that, if any money was used towards legal aid for the students, it was money from student welfare fund and amount collected by the students from the people of Jamia Nagar.

As far as the statement and stand by then VC and his act of standing by its students are concerned, we firmly believe that it was the need of hour and by doing so he only fulfilled his duty as the vice chancellor of the University. It was a very courageous and prudent step on his part. We can say so with a great degree of confidence because many of us were students or fresh graduates of Jamia at that point of time and there was a vicious campaign going on to tarnish the image of Jamia.

​This led to an environment, where every student of Jamia or its ex-student was seen with suspicion of being a potential terrorist. To understand the gravity of the situation, we would request you to go through the archives of newspapers, magazines and news bulletins of that time apart from the convocation address of 2008, delivered by late U R Ananthamurthy.

Believe us, had the then vice chancellor, Prof. Mushirul Hasan not taken the stand he took and to which Mr. Modi is referring in his speech, the situation would have even been worse. Moreover, despite clarifications from Jamia authorities, Mr. Modi never apologized for misleading people. Not only that, his party and its prominent members (not ‘fringe elements’) vilified Jamia and still continue doing so to further their divisive agenda. You may recall that in December 2008 Delhi assembly elections, BJP put out an advisement with the title “Jamia University funds to defend terror accused”. This, despite the fact that the then VC made it clear time and again that it is not true.

We remember, none less than the Election commission taking notice of it and stating, “The Vice Chancellor of the Jamia University has categorically stated that no fund of the institute was being used for the alleged purpose and that the students of the University were themselves raising funds,” the EC said. But even that did not put an end to the vilification campaign against Jamia. Last year, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, BJP senior leader, V K Malhotra said, “Jamia, Batla safe houses for terrorists”

Sir, we can share with you many such statements and instances through which they have tried to defame Jamia on regular basis. We wonder what message you want to convey by inviting the person who has been part of all this. You may argue that, we have not invited him as a member of a particular party but as the Prime Minster of India. You are right, but partially. Because today none other than Mr. Modi is the face of the party and the government. We are sure, you have heard of the slogan, “Abki baar Modi Sarkar”.

We have a very simple request to you, withdraw the invitation because given Mr. Modi’s track record, he does not deserve to address annual convocation. Or at least ask him to render a public apology about his own malicious and incorrect statement before he attends the convocation.